Redsand Canyon i was walking through icy streams

Nanuq's blurry blue eyes followed the rise and fall of a leaf caught in a dust devil outside the den. The air that made its way inside was hot and carried the smell of sunbaked stone, hardy foliage and dusty water. He sampled them with small flares of his nostrils, but nothing caught his interest.

He was situated in the shade and well away from the door, lying flat and stretched out on the warm floor. His forelegs were splayed out in front of him and his thin tail was draped over his left hindleg. He could not hear the way the wind whistled through the canyon, but saw it in the erratic motion of the leaf, remarkable only for how it danced above the ground.

Seized by a moment of inspiration, Nanuq struggled to his feet with a few wobbly false starts. Once he was standing, he didn't know what to do next, and soon realized it took more effort than he was willing to expend to stay on his paws. With a sigh, he flopped back onto his belly and resumed his lazy observations.